Interview with Selim Dahmane | Vancouver Foodster

Selim Louis Dahmane started cooking at the age of 20 casually for his friends and that’s when he realized it was his passion. At that time he was studying at a university in Paris on his way to do a Diploma in Economy and Social. However, Selim then decided it was time to make cooking a career, which lead him to quit university and enroll for culinary school in Paris for 3 years. During that time he had an incredible opportunity to work for one of the most famous chefs, Alain Ducasse at le Meurice 2* Michelin Star. He got to learn a lot while he was working various positions there for 1 year. He then worked for Roca for 1 year. He graduated from school in 2017 and then started his own catering company and catered weddings, artist events and more. In April 2018, Selim decided to move to Montreal, Canada.

He worked as Chef de Partie at Toqué with chef Normand Laprise, also known as one of the godfathers of Canadian cuisine. He then moved to Vancouver in 2019, where he worked for the Hawksworth Group for more than 3 years. He moved through the ranks quickly as Chef de Partie, Sous Chef in the catering section, finally taking on the role “Chef of the Nightingale frozen Pizza Production”. All of this contributes to Selim’s experience to take on the role of head chef for Gastronomy. He then joined Gastronomy Gastown in January 2023 when they opened as the Executive Chef.

You can follow Chef Selim Dahmane on instagram @selim_dahmane

While you were doing your diploma what were you learning in cooking school? I learned cooking, costing, labour costs, and restaurant accounting.

What was one of the memorable books that you bought at the time? “The Secret and the Pots” and every book that I was buying was about the science behind the ingredients.

What drives you to be the best within the pizza craft?

Learning every day, experimenting with fermentation, always praying for the perfect results and satisfaction infinite possibility.

Describe the pizza dough to you?

The dough is the most important and I am passionate because of the dough.

Were you always competitive growing up?

I always did collective sports(football and rugby) and I hated losing, I like the work behind the win.

How would you define a challenge?

Listening to yourself and knowing yourself.

1^st Dish

Grilled Zucchini

Ingredients:

Ricotta (seasoned with basil, oregano, parmesan and lemon zest)

Grilled zucchini

Aged balsamic

Intosse olive oil

Sourdough bread crumbs

Shaved pecorino

Basil

What are your favourite restaurants to eat at outside of where you work?

South Castle

Bar Tartare

Sushi Hil

What is your favourite cuisine to eat?

Italian and French

2^nd dish:

Panissa Fritto

Ingredients:

Chickpea batter

Smoked paprika and salt

Piquilo agrodolce mayo

What would you do with a red cabbage?

Slice it and render it in butter, add mustard seeds, white wine, thyme or sage, and a little pinch of salt at the beginning of the cooking process.

Do you like to cook at home?

Yes, but simple cooking.

What do you like to cook at home?

Fried rice

Kimchi stew

Toasts topped with buratta and avocado

Korean bbq at home

I have a lot of Korean ingredients at home.

3^rd dish:

Summer Breeze Pizza

Ingredients:
White sauce base
Zucchini
Eggplant
Sundried tomatoes
Parmesan
Basil pesto
Buratta

What are your hobbies or interests?

Hiking

Mushroom foraging

Beach in the summer

Seeing friends

What is your favorite food city?

New York

And in Canada what would be your favourite food city?

Montreal

What was your 1^st place winning pizza in the Chef’s West Competition in the Canadian Pizza Summit 2024?

My winning pizza, “Passioni,” featured a mixture of four flours, among them whole wheat red fife flour, Caputo Nuvola (“cloud”) flour and diastatic malt powder, fermented for 18 hours at 18 C at 45 per cent hydration. It was topped with lardo, watercress pesto, crushed almonds, whipped ricotta and truffle pecorino and aged balsamic drizzle.

4^th dish: